There is a myriad of common eye diseases known in the field of Ophthalmology that necessitate the regular use of warm compresses applied to the periocular skin. The current gold standard of treatment for these conditions includes the simultaneous use of heat to unclog the openings of the eyelid sebaceous glands and increase blood flow to the affected areas, while massaging the eyelids with a non-irritating baby shampoo to wash off oily debris. A bacteriostatic antibiotic ointment is optionally used to cleanse the bacterial flora that reside at the eyelid margin and are believed to lead to these conditions. This set of steps has been proven to treat many of these conditions listed below and is currently the preferred means of achieving proper eyelid hygiene.
Eye diseases which can be treated in this manner include, but are not limited to, acutely infected/inflamed internal or external hordeola or chalazia (Styes), any form of microbioallergic disease (blepharitis, blepharoconjunctivitis, or conjunctivitis), any eyelid skin rash (e.g., as caused by Herpes Simplex/Zoster Virus, or contact dermatitis), orbital or preseptal cellulitis, acute dacryocystitis, meibomitis, dry eye syndrome, meibomian gland dysfunction, ocular rosacea, Staphylococcal hypersensitivity, contact lens related ocular irritation, cat-scratch disease, oculoglandular tularemia, and conjunctival tuberculosis or syphilis.
The inconvenience of this ritual is a common cause of poor compliance (and treatment failure) frequently encountered in clinical practice. Patients often use a warm tea-bag or a warm towelette that they hold under warm running water, both of which lose heat within mere seconds. Some run their eyes under hot tap water or try microwave-heated compresses with resulting second-degree burns severe enough that they have even been reported in the scientific literature (Eisman et al., Opthal. Plast. Reconstr. Sturg. 2000 July; 16(4):304–5). Needless to say, these methods of applying heat are not lengthy enough to be effective, and can be hot enough to be harmful to the delicate ocular adnexa.
Some users advocate the use of a boiled egg or a warm potato or rice wrapped in a thin towel to provide heat for a longer duration of time. This exercise is quite cumbersome, and may still burn the thin eyelid skin because of high and uncontrolled temperatures.
Also, many ophthalmologists recommend Q-tip applicators be used to scrub the eyelids and lashes with baby shampoo. Not only is this exercise tedious and inconvenient for even young, healthy individuals, but is quite a difficult task for the elderly, especially those who suffer from arthritis, those who fatigue easily, have poor near visual acuity, or those whose hands shake.